This product isn’t made anymore, and I could do with a replacement set of 70cm elements after several hundred activations of use and abuse. I can’t find anything online - but I really should have asked here first I guess. If anyone can help / wants to do a deal, please reply on here or send me a PM. Many thanks.
I bet there’s plenty of sets of 70cm eles for the SB270 sat around unused - but where to find them…?
Would’t mind the complete antenna. Made a HB beam ( 144MHz 2m Portable Yagi VHF Beam Antenna – M0UKD – Amateur Radio Blog ) which works well electrically, but mechanically it is a bit of a nightmare getting all the elements to stay in place when assembling the antenna in anything other than calm conditions. I have got some clips to try when the warmer weather comes ( Hoping to do a Backpackers from G/NP-001 ) , so any suggestions for a mechanically sound 2m beam that only disintegrates when it is suppoed to would be much appreciated.
I have a sb??? used a couple of times then left in the garage, I cant find the book to see what version it is. It’s a 5 or 3 element and has crock clips to join the wire to the mast.
Well it’s either the original SOTA Beam, or the SB5 by the sounds of it. But not the SB270 that would be of particular interest to me.
If I don’t find anyone that has the 70cm elements (and is prepared to sell them), then I’ll try some of that Block and Quayle stuff Andy suggests to see if I can fashion a replacement for the one particular element that is beyond repair.
ISTM that some very accurate drilling is needed, beyond the capabilities of “hand tools” (in my hands, at least). I assume a decent drill press would do it if you make a jig to hold the nylon bolt.
I thought that the nylon bolt idea was absolutely brilliant and it is a great pity that this simple and elegant design was discontinued. SOTABEAMS no longer sells SOTA beams I am surprised that it wasn’t commercially viable to continue it, even if sales volumes were modest. The materials cost seemed very small. Once the cutting and drilling jigs are made I would have expected it to be pretty easy to put together, and the final assembly was always left to the customer.
My SB270 isn’t used as much as it should be, but I’m not parting with it.
Yeah that may work courtesy of fx3 (or L/3 : L for lambda, the symbol for which isn’t on my android). I can’t remember if I’ve tried that before or not. Need to crack on and repair the existing MFD - Jimmy has mangled something on it!
I had the same idea when one of my pins vanished in deep heather on MW-002 several years back.
No way I could find suitable bolts despite much searching. I bought a metre of nylon studding and Locktited a steel nut on the end; not elegant but it works.
73
Rod
Edit. I only used 2.5 cm
Hello Tom,
I activated G/NP-031 Birks Fell and the temperature on the summit was -2 before any wind chill was taken into account. I thought that I had pegged down my SB270 sufficiently, sat down to play radio and… timber!!!.. You no doubt know the rest. Anyway I ordered some replacement elements and I do have a 2M element spare that your more than welcome to have. It can be cut to length easy enough and I’m sure this will suite your needs fine.